Malfunctioning Line-Calling Technology Allegedly Costs Match at Wimbledon
In the fourth round of Wimbledon 2025, a controversial incident occurred during the match between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Sonay Kartal on Centre Court. The game-changing event took place in the first set, with the score tied at 4-4, and Pavlyuchenkova having a game point.
Kartal hit a backhand that appeared to land beyond the baseline, but the new electronic line-calling (ELC) system failed to register the out call. Chair umpire Nico Helwerth, noticing no call was made, halted play to check if the system was functioning correctly. After a phone consultation, he announced that the electronic system was unable to track the last point, causing the point to be replayed. This decision allowed Kartal to break Pavlyuchenkova’s serve and take a 5-4 lead in the set.
Pavlyuchenkova, visibly frustrated, accused the officials of stealing the game from her and suggested possible bias because Kartal was the local British player. She said to the umpire, "They stole the game from me, they stole it." Wimbledon later issued an apology, admitting that the ELC system had been turned off in error on a part of the court for that game due to a server-side mistake by those operating the system.
Despite the controversy, Pavlyuchenkova regrouped and went on to win the match 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in just over two hours. The incident sparked broader concerns about the reliability of the fully automated line-calling system, which had replaced human line judges for the first time at Wimbledon in 2025 after nearly 150 years.
Wimbledon chiefs are confident in the technology and believe it meets the agreed standards for maximum accuracy. However, this incident serves as a reminder of the challenges and teething problems that come with the adoption of new technology in Grand Slam tennis.
[1] BBC Sport, Wimbledon 2025: Electronic line-calling system malfunctions during Pavlyuchenkova's match, 2025 [2] The Guardian, Wimbledon 2025: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova accuses officials of stealing game after controversial call, 2025 [3] The Telegraph, Wimbledon 2025: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova overcomes controversy to reach quarter-finals, 2025 [4] The New York Times, Wimbledon 2025: The Controversial Electronic Line-Calling System Malfunction, 2025
The newly implemented electronic line-calling system in sports, particularly in tennis, was under question due to its malfunction during Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova's match at Wimbledon 2025. A controversial incident occured when the system failed to register an out call, potentially influencing the outcome of the game.
This incident, which led to a replay of the point and Kartal taking a lead, served as a stark reminder of the challenges and teething problems that come with the adoption of new technology in Grand Slam tennis.
